Dishwashing apparatus



Jan. 31, 1933.

W.. L. LINDGREN DISHWASHING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan.

orny,

Mawcyw Jan. 31, 1933. w. l., LINDGREN DISHWASHING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 19, 1931 Jan. 31, 1933. w, LlNDGREN 1,896,005

DI SHWASHING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet C5 `Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES WALDEMAB L. LINDGBEN, or wAUxEeAmILLINoIs, AssreNoR enorm-HALF ro Jenn PATENT I OFFICE E ERICSSON, 0F .GHlCAs'e ILHNOIS DIISHWASHVING Arnal-'gyrus Application led January 19,1931. Serial N o. 509,658.y

`ltf'yinvention is concerned with dish wash? ing apparatus, and is-designed to produce a simple structure, adapted to be placed 1n a household sink, andwhich washes the dishes `carried therethrough by the use of the hot water supplied by thesink without the necessity of employing any pumping mechanism.

It is further concerned'with'such a sructure in which the conveying mechanism, conl stituting the major portion of the apparatus, is vremovably mounted inthe sink, which is supplied with spraying .mechanism .permaf nently mounted therein in `such a manner v'that it canbe swungv out of the way, leaving the sink free for ordinary use when the con v'eyingmechanism is removed:

`It is` further concerned witha novel couveying mechanism that isadapted to carry Vand deliver table cutlery, as wellasdishes,v so that table cutlery can? be efficiently andy vquickly washed. f l

To these ends, it consists of certain novel combinations lof elements, as will be yhereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To illustratev my invention, Iannex hereto three sheets of drawings, in which 'the' same reference characters are used to designate Aidentical pars in all the figures, of which,-

Fig.- l isa front elevation ofthe apparatus in partial section, ronfthe line'l-lof'F ig. 3 plan view in section on the line' Fig. y2 is a 2 2 of Fig. 1,

, Fig. 3 is a vertical-section on theline 3.-8 of Fig. l; f

N links making up said belt;

Fig. 6 (Sheet l) is a detail of avportion of y the mechanism shown in F ig. 2, butwith the conveyor belt and partsfabove it removed.

In its preferred form, it consists of certain novel spraying mechanism made apart of the sink fixtures, together with an electric motor mounted thereon, and gearing from the motor detachably connected to ythe vconveying mech# anism kwhich kit drives, and. which is remol'vably mounted inithesink, andfdesignedso that it is lkept washed clean lby thesamewater` that washes the dishes, whichwater is always fresh, `and is never kused over.

Beginning ywith the spraying mechanism,

the hot` and cold water pipes 21 are passed through the rear wall 23 of the sink, as bestV shown in'Fig. 16, and are suitably connected to the mixer forming a part of the casting,

and seen inv dot-ted lines in Fig. land in cross section in Fig. 3, and having the cocks 47 for controlling the temperature. f

The casting 36,- which is employedas a sub-V stitute for piping connections, isrectangular in its general shape, and has secured `on the opposite sides, near the lower end thereof,Y the `rubber plugs 40 secured in the rear face: thereof and resting against the rear fwall 23 of the sink, the casting being supported from; said reanwall through the medium of the;

two conduits 29 by the connections already described. The body of the casting has projecting rearwardly from the vertical walls thereof the flangesll, which are interrupted by the recess 42 to permit the passage of the conduits 29, connected Vto the hot and cold water supply pipes 2l. It has at its upper end the rearwardly projectingk flange `v43, which has bolted thereon the bracket 44 which furnishes the support for the small electric motor 45 secured thereto, and which furnishes ,l the driving power for the conveying mecha".-

nism, as will be hereinafter fully described'. I form in the front part of thefcasting'a lug 56 which has ak vertically Atapered interiori forming a valve seat, in which :is mounted and secured in place by the nut 60.r The valve seat for the faucet 159 is connected vwith the mixer rso that whenthe faucet isturned parallel-tothe face ofthe sink, no water-can pass therethrough, but when it is turned at right angles,.the water willpass out ofthe faucet for ordinary use.'y Formedin thecasting 36 are suitablepassagesfrom Ythe conduits y29 to the mixer, and from the mixer other passages extendforwardly intothe pairof lugs 64110- cated substantially at the lower corners ofthe the tapered end of. the faucet 59- adapted to :85

turn in the .bearing formed by the valve vseat l spraying member 67 and the lower rinse wa ter spray member 68, the ends 66 being con structed as shown in Fig. 3, and having the l inlet ends shaped to co-operate with the pasb sage 63 when said members 67 and 68 extend at right angles to the face of the sink, in which position they are operative as spray members, and to have the water shut off when they are turned parallel to the rear wall of the sink. From the rear ends of the passages 63, the vertical passages 69 extend upward through the casting to the pair of lugs 70 projecting forwardly from the upper corners of the cast ing and having therein the tapered valve seats 71, in which are swiveled the tapered ends 72 of the top soapy-water spray member 73 and the rinse-water spray member 711, the swiveled ends of which are constructed the same as the ends of the faucet 59 and the lower spray members 67 and 68.

The upper soap water spray member 73 is shown in detail and described in my Patent No. 1,798,428, dated March 31, 1931, and it will be understood that the lower soapy-water spray member 67 is identical therewith except that its position is inverted to throw the water upward through the skeleton conveyor to be hereinafter described, while the upper spray member throws the water down ward. It will also be noted that with the arrangement of the conduits shown, Vthe greater pressure is applied to the lower spray members, as they have to overcome the resistance of gravity in throwing the water up- '-ward, whereas the upper spray members have the benefit of it. The connecting pipe of theA spray member 73 opens at its outer end downwardly into the body portion 7 5, which is a rectangular casing with its outer end open, -and closed in use by the end 76 of the soap holder. VThe spraying outlets .86 are formed in the tubular extension 87 formed on the bottom of the body portion, and having at the bottom thereof the iianges 88 cooperating l`with the conveyor cover, as will be hereinafter described.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the rinse-water spraying members 68 and 74 are tubular in their cross section and furnished with Vthe Jsame perforations 86, thev upper spray mem-V ber being likewise furnished with the flanges 88 of the tubular extension 87 of the upper soapy-waterl spray memben These flanges `are not needed and .do not exist in the lower :spray members 67 and 68. Wvhile a single row of the perforations 86 are sufficient for the end of the shaft 91, the lower end of which is journaled in bearings formed in the gear ca smg 93, and has thereon a worm meshing with the worm gear wheel pinned on the short shaft 96j ournaled in suitable bearings in the gear casing 93., Pinned on the forward end of the shaft 96 is the clutch member 100, which has a lug 101 cooperating with a lug 102 on the clutch member 103 which is held frlctionally by means which need not be described on a sleeve which is pinned on to the horizontal drive shaft 105 of the conveyor. '.lhe object of this slip connection is so that, in case the conveyor should become iammed at any time, the slip clutch will release and aL low the conveyor to stop in spite of the con tinued motion of the motor.

Referring now more especially to sheets 1,

2 and 3, the conveyor will be seen to consistv of a framework made up of the two sidepiece castings 110 and 111, of substantially thehsame design, except that they face in opposite dlrections, the outer casting 110 havmg secured thereon'a pair of lugs or brackets 112 adapted to rest on the forward edge of the sink, while the rear side piece 111 has pro]ect1ng from the top thereof a pair of lugs 11,3 having apertures therein adapted to receive the upturned ends of the lugs 114 pro]ect1ng from the front face of the casting 36 for the purpose of supporting that side of the carrier frame. Inasmuch as these are the only connections of the carrier or conveymg mechanism with the sink and casting 36, it will be obvious that the conveying mechanism can be lifted out of the sink, the clutch members 100 and 103 permitting the separation of the driving' connections when the conveying mechanism is to be removed. With the spraying mechanisms 67, 68, 73 and 74 swung to their inoperative positions parallel'to the rear wall of the sink, it will be obvious that the sink can then be used in the ordinary manner. The receiving or lefthand ends of thevside pieces are connected by the plate 115, best shown in Fig. 2, se cured thereto by the screws 116, and this late is preferably provided on its upper surace wlth the parallel longitudinally-extending ribs 117, and between these ribs 1 preferably form the numerous perforations 118, and at the center is located the curved recess 119,` all of which serves to assist in convenient handling of the dishes on this receiving plate 115, from which they are shoved on to the conveyor proper. The side pieces are also connected at this end by the cross bar 120 located in the plane of the axes of the wheels. At the delivery end, the side frames are connected by the receiving plate 121, similar tothe plate 115, it being provided with the ribs 117 and the perforations 118, but it preferably has three recesses 122 corresponding in function to the recess 119, and being employed so that the dishes can be more readily removed therefrom as they are discharged on this plate-bythe conveying' inechanisnnk The side pieces are also-con,`

nected at this end by the vcross bar 123, which will be described more in detail farther on. T he shaft 105 is journaled in bearings y formed in the side plates 110 and 111, and

has securedthereon at its outer end, a short which is shown detached in Fig. 5, which eooperate with theannular grooves 127 formed in the rods 125 at the ends thereof and at equispaced distances throughout their klengthso as to form an endless skeleton conveyor with rectangular apertures therein, as

bestv seen in Fig. 2. The links'126 have apertules 128 in the ends thereof, which apertures areof the shape shown invFig. 5, the smaller ends being of the external diameter f of the grooves 127, while the large inner ends conveyor.

are of slightly greater diameter than that of the rods 125, so that the rods and links can be assembled. Preferably journaled in suitable bearings at the ends of the side pieces are thecrodsA or shafts `129y and 130, which have secured orjournaled on the ends thereof adjacent the yinner faces of the side pleees 11() andy 111 the four sprocketwheels 131 which (zo-operate with therods 125 Vof the endless scribed, it will be obviousthat dishes shoved.

from the table 115 on to the endless conveyor I will be carried through the apparatus and delivered therefrom at the other end, having been first sprayed from both above and below with the soapy water, and then similarly rinsed with clear hot water.

In order to handle table cutlery, I have foundthattit is necessary to make-speclal'provisions to prevent the cutlery from getting intothe conveyor, and to prevent this I eniploy the following mechanism. Y On the shaft y 129 immediately adjacent the left-hand pair of Wheels 131, I employ a pair of brackets 132, on the upper end of which is secured the forward curved end of the fiat .sheet-metal kplate 133, immediately adjacent which kthe conveyor belt travels. y The forward end of the plate is supported by the lugs 134 projecting inwardlyy from the side frames yand hav.

ing extensions of the plate 133 secured thereto. This plate prevents the cutlery from getting into the conveyor as it starts. At theotherend, I employ another sheet-metal plate l135, the inner end of which is secured tothe lugs 136 projecting inwardly from the` side fra1nes,jand the'outereend is similarly `secured to the brackets 137, similar rto the brackets 132 and positioned on the shaft vor rod 13() adjacent the Wheels 131. j The inner With the structure thus far de-.

end of vthis ,plate is some distance belowthe conveyor belt,vand slopes upward, as seen in Fig. '1,until it is in Contact therewith,fand is for the rest of its length curved on the necessary arc of v.a circle with the shaft 130 as a center. If v.any of the cutlery has gottenV yplate 135, at each end thereof, a leaf Vspring 138, and to the free ends of this leaf spring I secure the rod 139, which has journaled thereon at intervals the disks`i140 which project through slots 141 placed in the .plate 135 to receive them. To prevent the possibility of these disks being misplacedr by beingy pressed back entirely through the slots 144 and then slid sidewise, I limit kthe Vinward movement ofthe shaft 78 by passing itv through a pair of slotted brackets 145 secured to the ends of theplate 135. From an inspec tion of Fig. 1, it will beobvious that as the 1ods`125 pass the disks 140, they will force them back toward .the shaft 130, 'and as each rod passes, the disks' will be thrown back to the position shown in Fig. 1 by the springs 133, thus knocking any cutlerythey maycontact with off from the conveyor.'Y In order to get the plate 135 at its highest point substantially in contactwith the rods 125, I form in the plate the elongatedslots 164, best shown in Fig. 6, in which the links travel as they curve around the end. f f

The crosspieee 123 has at its upper end an upwardly and rearwardly projecting portion 146, which has formed therein'the recesses 147, shown in Fig. 6, through vWhichthe outer portions ofthe links 126 pass in order to make sure that anyicutlery will be taken ofi' from the conveyor by the action of this extension 146. I preferably provide the lower portion `of the cross piece 123 with a plate 148 hinged v-thereto and adapted to be normally directed downward, asshown in Fig. 1, so that the cutlery willbe directed thereby over the end of the sink, instead of dropping down beneath the end of the conveyor, where it could not be readily gotten at. As it is sometimes desirable to get tothe bottom ofthe sink underneath the end of the conveyor, I pro vide the under side of the plate 121 with one or `more spring catches v149 adapted to catch and hold the plate in its elevated dotted-line purpose, I provide the bridge plate 150, which consists of a sheet-metal plate long enough so that its ends rest on the flanges 151 projecting inwardly from the side pieces 110 and 111, and the outer .side of this plate is rigidly secured on the bail 152, which has its ends 153 pivoted in suit-able apertures formed in the adjacent portions ot the side trames. The bail is shaped as shown in Fig. 2, so that portions thereof will extend beyond the 'ides of the conveyor so that the switch plate can be conveniently manipulated. In washying'dishes, the plate is inthe full-line position shown in Fig. 1; but when it is used for washing cutlery, it is swung back to the dotted-line position, leaving space for the cutlery to pass downward and beneath the plate 121.

The apparatus as thus far described can be employed for washing dishes and table cutlery, but water would be splashed from oil' the dishes and conveyor, andto prevent this, I employ the cover shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, where it will be seen that I employ a metallic cover 15-1 which has a vertical back piece 155 and al vertical front piece 156, with their lower edges resting on the offsets 157 formed on the top of the side pieces 110 and 111 for this purpose. `The top is flat, except for the invert-ed trough-like portions 158, which have slots 159 in their tops to receive the discharge tube portions of the .spray members 73 and 74, and the flanges S8 previously mentioned as employed with said spray members prevent the water being splashed upwardly through these slots. There is enough clearance so that the cover 154 can be lifted enough to unseat the front portion 156 from the oilk set 157, after which the cover can be withdrawn horizontally oliq ot the machine, after which the conveying mechanism is then free to be lifted out of the sink, the apertures 160 being placed in the side plate 111 to permit the conveying mechanism to be moved into and out of place over the spraying members 67 and 68. V 'Io prevent the water splashing out of the ends of the cover, and still not interfere with the passage o'f the dishes into and out of it, I provide at each end a flexible curtain consisting ot two rows ol chains 161 made oi flat links formed from sheet-metal,

one rowbeing secured on each side ot the ribs 162 projecting downwardly from the top of the cover near each end. As seen in Fig. 3, the chains of each rowV have the links spaced apart a little distance, and the spaces thus formed are overlapped by the chains of the adjacent row, which are staggered there? with for this purpose. With the construction described, it will be obvious that water cannot pass the curtains, while they do not oiier serious resistance to the passage of the dishes.

As the water pressure at the sink may vary very materially in different buildings or on dilerent floors of the same building, it is essential to provide means for controlling the pressure, to suit each installation. To this end I make the internal diameter of the tubes 68, 73, 74' and 7 6 great enough to take care of the lowest pressure in the sink that has to be provided for, and for greater pressures I provide constrictions 163 in the tubes by reducing the diameter of the core upon which each is cast at the point where the constriction is to occur, and it will be under'- stood that the size of the constriction will vary with the specilic pressure at which it is to be used, the greater the pressure, the greater the constriction.

The operation of the apparatus willbe readily apparent.

While I have herein partially disclosed a novel casting forming a substitute for the piping shown in my Patent No. 1,7 98,42,.I do not herein claim the same, as it is fully illustrated and claimed in my application No. 502,315, filed December 15, 1930.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the form which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of modifications, and I do not desire to be limited in Athe interpretation of the following claims except as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

yVhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a dish-washing machine, the combination with a frame, of a horizontally movable skeleton carrier mountedltherein adapted to carry table cutlery thereon, means for moving said carrier, a member over which the cutlery may be discharged below the end of the conveyor pivoted to the frame, a discharge table carried by said frame above said member, and a spring catch secured to the discharge table to hold said member in its raised position.

2. In a dish-washing machine, the combination with a frame, of a horizontally movable skeleton carrier mounted therein adapted to carry table cutlery thereon, means for moving said carrier, a member over which 1 the cutlery may be discharged below the end oi the conveyor pivoted to the frame, a discharge table carried by said frame above said member, a switch plate pivoted on the :trame adjacent the table to direct the cutlery onv to the table or to allow it to pass over the member, depending upon how it is adjusted, and a spring catch secured to the discharge table to hold said member in its raised position.`

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of January, 1931.

WALDEMAR L. LINDGREN. 

